You make it hard for me
by ThunderStorm-8
Summary: Gajeel is a man with a difficult past, whose lust for a woman he doesn't deserve drives him stir crazy. Yet in reality the only thing keeping them apart is his guilty conscience. Will he realize this before Raven Tail causes too much damage? Na/Lu and Gray/Juv
1. To sleep

**Chapter 3-Lemon**

**Chapter 4-Lucy/Natsu**

**{coming soon) Gray/Juvia **

**-see contest at the bottom. **

**You make it hard for me…**

**1. To sleep **

It didn't often take much for a man to admit that there was something, or someone, that he wanted. It was obtaining this desire that was the real trick. If the mate was exceptionally beautiful or the item particularly luxurious it might take a long time to persuade her, or save up the money. With some women it was a matter of both: saying and doing the right things as well as having things that impressed them.

That was what Gajeel know of women before he met Levy McGarden. For him women were fleeting moments of pleasure bookended by an annoying waste of time and energy.

But with Levy everything he'd learned before had to be tossed out the window. She was unique even to the well rounded spectra of Fairy Tail's women: He found her to be kind except to those who hadn't earned it—namely, him— timid almost to fault, yet fierce and almost fearsome in her pursuit of knowledge and victory. An incredible contradiction that left him practically salivating to discover more.

When he first joined Fairy Tail with the intent of atoning for his sins he knew from the first hot glance she shot him that gaining Levy's approval and forgiveness would be a top priority. As time passed he came to desire her respect as well, and it was much later still when that desire took new, uncharted and extremely uncomfortable purpose.

With no qidea how to approach any of those goals Gajeel decide to start with the most simple answer: treating her as he would any of his male counterparts—with small flourishes of special treatment to help win her friendship.

This plan worked exceedingly well, yet even when she trusted him completely Gajeel felt restless from wanting her.

He thought being her partner on the S-Class Trial would help satiate some of that, but instead it woke in him a beast of even greater need. Spending time with the small woman, often alone, protecting her and being protected, they bonded in a way Gajeel had never experienced before. As he lay wounded and useless she cried for him, protected him, and when she could, held his hand as tight as a vice. Whether this was for him or for her own nerves he didn't really care. The contact warmed him, inside and out, and he became addicted faster than the Iron Dragon would have thought possible. When they woke from their instantaneous, seven-year slumber his mind continued to cloud his days with thoughts almost exclusively of Levy. Sometimes reliving the highlights, or lowlights, and while at nights inventing new scenarios, most of them tastelessly indecent.

It was the perversion and the growing desire that first raised warning flags.

The fact that she could smile at him without remembering the monster that attacked her without mercy or regret was incredible, because he wasn't sure he ever would. And he was absolutely convinced that of all things he was in no position to deserve Levy as a mate. First and foremost was their violent past, second, that their personalities were too askew for any kind of functioning relationship, and thirdly…Gajeel had never wanted anything so badly in his entire life. He feared what he might do if given the opportunity to try and fill that void. s

After all, restraint was not a word Gajeel ever lived by, not until Natsu beat some humanity back into him. After that he learned the many benefits of reigning in his animalistic instincts to the point where it even became quite natural. But with Levy he found himself chanting the mantra of restraint over and over in his head just to keep his hands from wandering where they weren't welcome. Where they shouldn't deserve to be welcome.

If he'd known he would come to want her, to need her, so badly, Gajeel swore he would never have volunteered to be her partner. Maybe he would have been among the hopeless that stayed behind, waiting seven long years for the return of their friends.

To his surprise this wistful idea didn't provide any of the comfort he'd intended it to. The mere thought of spending seven years thinking Levy was dead was enough to squeeze at his once icy, iron heart, and beat his chest with waves of want and what might have been grief.

Gajeel shook his head to clear the air, shut his eyes tight and breathed deeply the smells of late, late night from his seat in the window in Team B's hotel room. His partners were all sleeping soundly, but he just couldn't. He hadn't slept soundly in days.

Training alone with Pantherlily was suppose to help him gather his focus; forget the allure of blue hair and sharp, kind eyes. While they were apart it had worked, he was too exhausted or occupied to think about Levy. But as soon as they reunited at the Grand Magic Games everything came back like a tsunami tide.

The sight of her in the usual skimpy dress with hints of a tan and shining eyes made his mouth dry and pants tight.

Not wanting to take a chance on letting the need simply wear out Gajeel determined a new plan: he would just have to keep his distance.

But that was before Raven Tail showed how low they could stoop—involving innocents in the audience. The day Lucy lost to Flare it took every civil bone in his body not to kill them all before any real damage could be done and he would have no qualms doing it either. He'd spent months at a time with the dark guild undercover, and although this was a completely new bunch he knew that none of them had an ounce of reason in their bones. They were vicious, sadistic, and without mercy. That was just the kind of folk Iwan attracted with the promise of letting them loose to enjoy themselves with whatever dark deeds their black hearts could conjure.

Gajeel knew that whatever he was in with Levy he could put aside, even if it was just long enough to protect her from pathetic wizards like Raven Tail.

He almost let out a frustrated growl as his head fell back and his belly ached to think that she was just a few rooms down—alone—and probably sleeping soundly without a care.

God he hoped he would be picked tomorrow. He needed battle and blood, and it damn well better be a good one.

oOo

The next morning in the arena two of Gajeel's wishes came true. It was Fairy Tail against Raven Tail again: team's choice, and his hand was the first in the air. It didn't matter which one of the sorry sons of bitches bit the dust today, someone was going to feel the wrath of his restless nights.

But as the announcers prattled on, introducing the teams, dropping sponsor names and other boring drivel a flash of blue in the stands drew Gajeel's attention.

He caught Levy in the crowd, except she wasn't where she should be. Something just a few degrees short of panic started to bubble in the pit of his stomach as he realized she was surrounded by people he didn't recognize, and far from the reach of any other Fairy Tail members.

**(Author's note: Hi readers! If you made it all the way to the end I thank you very much and hope you continue to enjoy the next chapters.**

As of right now I fully intend to sprinkle some Juvia/Gray on this story, but haven't settled on a way to do it.

If you have any scenarios you'd love to see in print sent them to me at the bottom of your review or just in review form and I'll pick from the best and write them! 

**Can't wait to hear your ideas.)**


	2. To breath

(quick author's note: I read the manga, but I only watch the anime selectivity. Like, when one of my friends recommends a Gajeel/Levy episode they think I should see. So feel free to message me and tell me about any episodes you think I'm missing out on. I love this show but if I had to watch all 100+ episodes I'd never get any real work done lol)

**You make it hard for me**

**2. To breath **

Somehow Levy got pulled in with the surge of fans eager to watch the Grand Magic Games, and ended up completely separated from the rest of Fairy Tail. Not being able to watch with the rest of her large extended family was a little disheartening, but the people around her weren't too pushy and the seats were much closer to the arena. Now she could see Gajeel and the others much more clearly as they waited to be chosen. She reveled in the warm sense of pride that spread from her chest to her cheeks when she thought about how that was _her_ guild down there looking like a bunch of badasses. It didn't even matter that they were almost in last place: they were still hers. But it was Gajeel that made her the most proud, the most excited, and now that it was his turn to fight everyone in the audience would see how cool he looked doing it.

Gajeel scrutinized the crowd around Levy, looking for anything suspicious—though everything has a way of looking suspicious when you're looking for it. That's when he noticed the little Mage looking back at him. Endless black met warm brown as their eyes locked, and he could see the change in her face as she read his mood even from that distance. Something very instinctual and male in his brain tried to tell him to be happy she was looking at him, but he stomped out that ember of a notion.

As it often happened when Levy was nearby Gajeel felt his rage drain away like blood running from sliced veins. All he wanted in that moment was to catch her in a quiet place and force her to go home, away from the threat of sour players.

To his absolute surprise she started to climb down through the crowd, and he almost wanted to tell her to stop, to turn around, to not draw attention to herself, but instead he lurched forward in three powerful strides to meet her halfway.

How was she able to see through him so easily? To read his desires from two stories away and worse, try and appease them. This was why he couldn't be near her, had deliberately avoided her as much as possible. But it was too late to turn around now. He would have to say something. Preferably something brief and without too much obviously obsessive concern.

As Levy squeezed her way through a full and pumped up crowd her eyes stay locked on Gajeel. True, it might have been more practical to watch where she was going but the only place to fall was into someone's lap. No harm there, just embarrassment.

And when she finally made it to the first row and had only the last ten-foot drop to content with her instinct about Gajeel's anxiety stood confirmed. There was definitely something troubling him, and though he would deny it Levy saw it like a beacon behind his normally cool eyes.

The competition was bound to start any minute, but she'd barely seen the lumbering Iron Dragon since the Grand Magic Games began, and she wanted to indulge this moment. Her insecurities told her this sudden distance it was deliberate, but she tried not to be hurt by it—though it still stung bitterly. Now, looking down at a man who clearly hadn't slept well in days she forgot all about the injury.

Knowing she couldn't enter the field for fear of penalty to her team Levy opened her arms to the universal gesture "Come here to me."

It didn't take Gajeel more than a moment to contemplate the offer; he turned his legs to steady iron poles and rose to meet her, eye to eye. They both wore worried expressions, though one was far subtler than the other.

"What's wrong?" She asked, straining her voice over the excitement.

"_**The clock has been set, and we're counting down to the start of the match. Looks like one of our players took a slight detour. Lets hope he gets back in time! 10. 9."**_

Gajeel growled in his chest at the intruding announcers, but he had to say his peace or he'd spend the rest of the games thinking about it. He didn't want to yell over the roar of the crowd and the loud chime of the timer, no reason everyone should know his business. He looked up for a brief second to a third pair of eyes, then, with one huge hand at the base of her back, pulled Levy in close and hastily said; "Go home when this game's over."

He drew away to a very confused and hurt looking Levy, but there wasn't time to feel sorry for her.

"_**5. 4. 3-"**_

The grip her small fingers had on his shirt was severed as he shrunk away and a huge hand stretched down to pluck Levy up like a doll.

"Gajeel!" Levy didn't struggle against Master Markov's strong hand but she refused to let that be the end of it. What did he mean go home? Why?

"Stay with the Master!" He didn't even look back as he barked the order, now focused on running towards his opponent with one arm covered in iron scales and the other balled in a tight fist.

"_**2. 1-"**_

The first blow was a crack of thunder, and Gajeel smirked at the likeliness of broken bones. If Raven Tail wanted to play rough he would remind them what kind of monster he could be.

**OoO **

When the battle was over Gajeel had some bruises, cuts, and the slight taste of copper in his mouth to show for it but didn't feel anything close to satiated. He could still feel his hands itching for more. His team congratulated him with physical praise of a few slaps on the back and smiles, and the roar from Fairy Tail's fans and members was impressive even for this loud crowd.

"2 minutes! That's a new record." Mirajane crooned before shifting rapidly to making a face at the battle scars. "You better go get those wrapped up."

Gajeel grunted but didn't want to endure the devil woman's motherly stare. Not even the Master really had the courage to go up against Mirajane when she got an idea like that in her head. He looked up at the Fairy Tail booth for Levy but didn't spot her. He hoped she'd actually listened to him and wasn't planning to ambush him in the contestant's entrance tunnel.

As he left the arena behind the sound of small, quick footsteps echoing off the stone walls around the bend confirmed his suspicions of option number two.

He thought about turning around but it was too late, she would find him eventually. It might as well be now while there wasn't a crowd of nosey mother fuckers listening in.

When he got to the turn in the tunnel and they came face to face it was like a mouse going against a cat, and the mouse had an agenda.

If they were still in a blissful state of mutual friendship, Levy's angry little expression would have made him burst into laughter. Now it just made him twitchy, like a child being scolded.

"What did you mean 'Go home?' " She demanded, hands on her hips and a crease between her brow.

"It ain't safe here, not with those bastards playin' against the rules."

"I'm not a child who can't defend herself!"

As their argument escalated and she leaned in Gajeel wanted to back away but didn't. He stood firm against the scent of her, which was like alcohol in the air, clogging his senses and his judgment. Somehow she smelled of flowers and wood, books and magic, and something indescribably Levy all at once, and each time she shook her head to give a furious answer a new wave of flower washed over him. Thus dooming him to wonder why her hair smelled different than her body. Thoughts of Levy's body never lead anywhere good.

"And why have you been avoiding me?"

It wasn't really lucky but the interruption of her voice brought Gajeel out of that dangerous thought just in time. In fact it brought him out of any thoughts all together.

There was no situation where explaining himself wouldn't lead to him looking like an asshole or a horny, overprotective bastard. But "It's been busy" seemed like a good place to start, so he went with that.

Feeling more rejected than ever Levy let her head fall, and became very still, very quiet. She wanted to say something hurtful, anything to gain a response from the Iron Dragon. But she knew Gajeel wasn't technically lying, and in the end she couldn't bring herself to punish him. Things _had_ become very busy with the guild trying to regain its former glory, clients, and respect. And those participating in the Games had extra training to think about. But she didn't care, none of that changed the fact that she wanted his attention, and craved his occasional, subtle affection.

She was tired of the round about way they'd been living since Tenrou Island. Why couldn't things be simpler with him?

There was a cruel ironic humor to that idea and it wasn't lost of Levy. No, things could never be simple with Gajeel, and she knew why.

Before they could say any more a clamor broke out behind them as the rest of the Guild came pouring out from the Arena, celebrating a second victory.

Sensing their moment coming to an abrupt close Levy forced her head up high to look Gajeel square in the eye. If they were both too proud to admit it out loud she wanted him to know how this distance hurt, and didn't do a thing to hide the despair and yearning she felt. She knew the information registered by his reaction—the slight widening of his eyes in surprise, the tiny drop of his bottom lip as he struggled with what to say. But right on cue a very energetic Natsu swung from behind, slapping Gajeel on the arm and yelling a rough but friendly challenge to fight. Then the crowd of their extended family swarmed them, and the pair was pulled apart for the second time that day.

Back at the tavern Levy tried her best to stay and be good company but stolen glances at her Iron Dragon stabbed fresh wounds in the problem, and eventually she couldn't take it anymore. Excusing herself, she and hurried back to the hotel room upstairs.

Once inside she fell on the bed and held herself tight as the pain, anxiety, and stress built to tears. It wasn't really all that dramatic, but she just had to let her heart _feel_. Even if the emotions were uncomfortable they needed to breath, she needed to breath, and when the storm had passed she'd be alright.

oOo

Back at the party, two more key members were missing: Master Markov and Gajeel. At the Dragon's urging the two snuck down to cellar for more intimate conversation.

"Better make this quick," Markov ordered with slightly slurred speech that somehow fit his leadership style perfectly. "Mirajane thinks we're getting more wine."

Gajeel lowered himself to the old man's level, growling his concerns. "What are we gunna do about Raven Tail?"

Markov contemplated his answer just long enough for Gajeel to become impatient, then the man laughed at the youth's vigor before shifting seamlessly to total seriousness.

"Don't worry about that, just focus on the fight for Fairy Tail's good name. The others and I have things under control now."

"How?" Gajeel wanted to believe it but he refused to hand Levy's safe keeping over to half baked ideas.

A wrinkled old hand patted his bicep as if to say; "I told you not to worry." Then Markov grabbed two bottles and headed back up the stairs.

"I'll keep an extra eye on Levy." He added over his shoulder, almost as if on a whim, and then Gajeel was all alone.

Unwilling to go back to the party but unable to sleep Gajeel found the back door and set himself free on the town. He still had a few hours to wander before the curfew took hold, and he wanted to spend it in solitude, thinking about the day and the gut wrenching way Levy had looked at him back at the arena. It was almost the same face she'd made at him on Tenrou Island except that this held so much more disappointment.

What did she expect from him? Affection? Love? He admired her yes, felt constantly overprotective true, and hell only knew how much he desired her…but love was something different. It was something he'd never had, not once, so how in the world would he know how to give it? With Pantherlily and Metalicana it was different, they were animals, missing pieces of his soul, family. Levy was…well, Levy was something different. She was light in a dark room, hope where there isn't any, and joy amidst sorrow.

He could never believe that someone with his track record could deserve her, let alone make her happy. If they did come together it was sure to burn out faster than a hydrogen fire, completely uncontrollable, consuming everything precious.

A distant clock struck 11, so Gajeel took one last deep breath of the clean night air before turning around. On the way he passed a couple walking arm in arm, laughing casually about some personal joke. In his heart he knew that he and Levy could never be like that, and found some relief in the idea that maybe he didn't want them to be.

After getting slightly turned around the Iron Dragon Slayer found himself outside the tavern with just five minutes to spare, but daring fate he still paused to look up at the windows.

And nearly jumped out of his skin when a certain blunette caught his gaze.

Both stood frozen despite the approaching curfew, unwilling to move and ruin their third meeting of the day. It was more than they'd had in months.

Gajeel was just about to break contact when Levy extended her arms just as she'd done earlier. Though this time she didn't look desperate or worried, just still. At first Gajeel hesitated, but then she smiled and he couldn't refuse.

The huge man was lucky the windows were large, because as Levy explained through a strange fit of laughter he would never have made it through the windows at Fairy Hills.

"Men aren't allowed there anyhow." Gajeel objected, completely missing the point.

Levy wasn't going to let him dismiss the subject. Enough was enough, and she refused to play the game.

As her laughter subsisted the lumbering man felt a delicate hand tug at his black shirt.

"I thought you liked to break the rules?"

"…Usually…."

The sneaky hand spread out flat, took leisurely time admiring the abs beneath the cloth. She felt him go ridged, and as Levy looked into Gajeel's eyes again all the clocks struck midnight.

It was a new day.

**Chapter 3 coming soon **


	3. To resist

**You make it hard for me**

**3. To resist**

Gajeel would never flinch in battle, but here in Levy's hotel room with moonbeams and the low light of a distance lamp putting him at a severe disadvantage he couldn't help the cold sweat gathering behind his ears. Her hands were wandering his body casually, like they'd lost something there, and she held his gaze despite the fact that he could hear her pulse beating a million miles an hour.

No matter how confident she was trying to look there was nervousness there, and though it seemed sadistic that fault helped Gajeel steady himself.

Her fingers danced down his arms, feeling the muscles and piercings, and trembling slightly. Why hadn't he responded? What was he waiting for? Could she have really read all those signs wrong? Was she just making a huge fool out of herself?

Gajeel could almost smell her anxieties chipping away at the strong stance Levy held, and knew he shouldn't just stand there reveling in her generous if not almost too-good-to-be-true touch.

He grabbed one of her hands and held it, breaking their gaze to look down at the tiny appendage. Just one of his fingers measured two of hers.

It was now or never, the signals were all there and all he had to do was step over the threshold to blissful satisfaction.

He just wasn't sure he could allow himself that…

Gajeel heard her breath come out in a short rasp, and the hands he held began to tremble, her self-confidence plummeted and there was now red embarrassment on her cheeks. He looked right in her eyes and knew that this was something she wanted too. Whether she had any idea what she was trying to get herself into was another question entirely.

Then he remembered that he'd decided months ago that it didn't really matter what he wanted. If he could keep that horrible, hurt look from her features then maybe crash and burn was worth it.

He didn't bother insulting her intelligence by asking if this was really what she wanted. One quick glance was enough to confirm what was going on inside Levy's mind, as well as her heart.

His gaze on her was so intense Levy was sure the air between them could spark and catch fire, and as he leaned down to her she swore she felt electricity. She closed her eyes and felt nothing but his lips on her own. For those first seconds everything was numb in the best possible way. All she could hear was her own heartbeat, and all she could smell was him.

Gajeel pulled back just a little from that first, simple kiss. Their foreheads practically touched, and the tiny smile Levy gave him was definitely worth the leap of faith. Gajeel knew now with absolute certainty that he could make her happy, and intended to do it often.

Levy slid her hands free, then back up his arms to grab fistfuls of shirt, and nudged him forward again with her head.

Gajeel didn't think, couldn't think, could only oblige as he drove down a second time, surprising Levy with his own need.

There was clear passion in this kiss, and she could feel it building to a place she'd never imaged from Gajeel.

His hands came around her waist, pulled her close to him and held tight. His mouth was hot against her own and when she took charge, deepening the kiss with tongue and teeth Levy could swear she heard a low rumble in his chest like a lion's purr.

Tired of bending to her height and desperate to explore Gajeel hooked a hand under her pajama clad bottom and lifted the petite woman in his arms. She squeaked at first but recovered quickly with a laugh before kissing him harder, and he could feel the joy in her.

From this new angle he could smell her neck enticing him, and why resist? He nipped her bottom lip before continuing downward with soft, quick pressure of his lips on her skin till he found that one spot between her chin and ear that had tormented him for so many sleepless nights.

It tasted fan fucking tastic.

And from the way her hands fisted in his mane she didn't mind it either.

Suddenly Gajeel found himself at a buffet of tastes and smells and felt his control slipping fast, but the way his partner moaned as he sucked at her collarbone made him ignore his better judgment.

"Gajeel…." Her heart was spinning but her head was very clear, clear on the man pressed against her at least. She had no concept of time and how much of it had passed. All she felt was joy and pleasure and incredible self confidence that all wanted to burst through her chest at once.

Determined to give him the same Levy leaned in to nibble the flesh on his ear that wasn't pierced with metal, ghosting down to his lobe with her lips barely touching him.

To her immense satisfaction Gajeel became still, resting his head above her cleavage as his grip tightened, then relaxed, then started to wander.

Thighs, hips, calves, ass, breasts, he wanted to touch it all and all at once.

Gajeel sat hard on the edge of the bed to free both hands, then busied them. Levy pressed against his mouth again, a satisfied smile revealed her approval of their quickly escalading game. Her own hands slipped under his shirt for even bolder admiration of his toned stomach.

Their eyes met for a fraction of a second as Gajeel paused with his thumb hooked under her blue tank top, dying to pull it off. Levy nodded hastily, eyes glossy with pleasure, before kissing him so hard he rocked backwards. After a moment's feasting they paused just long enough for Gajeel to pull the shirt over her head, mussing her hair so she had to shake it back into place.

His lowers started throbbing as his eyes swept down her from head to toe, admiring everything she had to offer. From the sexy allure of the blue hair in her face, to the perky breasts and black bra, all the way to her round yet firm hips straddling his own, Gajeel drank it all in in a long, slow gulp.

Then his hands were on her again like hungry flames licking greedily at their host.

Levy arched her back when he sucked at her neck, consequently rubbing against a growing warmth between his legs. Every time she moved she felt it harden and there was power in that knowledge.

When she started to grind against him Gajeel felt the last few threads keeping his animalistic instincts in tact started to snap.

"Levy—" He started, but her arms were iron grips around his neck and she silenced him with her tongue. And as time slipped by he gave in both to her, and his dark fear. His body started reacting on its own, moving with her motions till a moan rippled off Levy's kiss red lips.

The noise was a trigger, and before Levy could say "more" Gajeel flipped their positions, pressing his body down on hers now was they lay overlapping on the bed. The kiss was almost lacking in care now as passion set it ablaze, and Levy caught the taste of copper on her tongue as one of his fangs accidentally nicked her. The feeling of his member pressed to her panties was the second surprise, and it shook her out of her hazy cloud. Things were just going too fast...

She tried to pull away from him but Gajeel growled low and possessive in his throat and caught her lips again, hips thrusting already.

Levy froze for a moment, realizing that no matter how hard she pushed on Gajeel's shoulders she couldn't budge him even the slightest. She tried to scream through his kiss but the sound was muffled. She closed her eyes and decided there was only one thing to do:

She bit down hard on his lip, and when the man pulled away with a hiss and a swear the panic subsided. She watched him touch the punctured lip gingerly, taste the blood, all the while confusion pinched his pierced eyebrows together. When he looked down at her on the bed, half naked and trapped beneath him she was almost sure she saw fear there.

Gajeel practically jumped off, swung his legs over the bed and sat at the edge hating himself.

'_Fuck, fuck, fuck,_ FUCK!'

He would have hung his head in his hands but Levy slipped in, situating herself on his lap in a much more innocent pose than earlier. For a long while they simply sat there, neither quite sure what to say. But Levy stroked Gajee's hair to let him know he hadn't done anything irreversibly bad.

Eventually a comfortable silence settled over them as the mood cooled off, and Levy

s attentions turned to simpler things.

The hand in his hair slipped back down his arm to the scrapes and cuts he'd gotten earlier that day. "You never got these wounds looked at…" Levy mused, noting the light stain of blood on her hands from the neglected marks.

Gajeel just scoffed with his usual arrogant smirk. "It wasn't important."

"What's more important than making sure you don't die?" She meant it as a tease, but intense red eyes shot down her humor.

"Making sure you don't die…"

"…"

She knew he didn't like to show it, would probably deny any association with it if someone else asked, but she saw real, heartfelt concern and care in the way Gajeel stared at her just then. Maybe he couldn't voice it right or didn't want to, but there was just enough puppy-dog behind that harsh exterior to tell her that it was killing him to know that at any moment someone could use her life as leverage to win. And it truly touched her.

"I doubt they'd actually _kill _anyone." Again she added a light air to her answer, but stroked the side of his face and smiled reassuringly.

Enticed by the scent of blood Gajeel turned his face into her palm, kissed it lightly, then pulled it down to inspect. Normally he would have licked the blood off, but decided that would be too reminiscent of their less than positive history.

"You should wash this off." _Wash me off._

"So should you."

Those innocent-or maybe not so-words sent Gajeel's mind strait back to the forbidden shower category. He would be a lying son of a bitch if he denied the fact that he'd imaged Levy naked in there, and he'd be a son of a whore if he didn't admit to picturing himself along with her.

But now, confirmed by what he'd done earlier, Gajeel knew that would never happen. Whenever his manhood started calling the shots things just got too rough. He would never subject Levy to that.

He rose, taking her with him only to set her down on her own two feet. He really wanted to say something, an excuse to get out of that room that wouldn't hurt or insult, but nothing came to him.

Luckily, Levy was a woman of many words. She almost had to_ jump_ to plant a kiss on his lips but she managed somehow, then with a smile took his hand. "You don't have to leave."

Gajeel disagreed. "If I stay it's not going to end well."

Levy's temper sparked at the comment. "You don't know that."

The Dragon Slayer mistook her anger as disappointment, though it baffled him, and bent to kiss her one last time. When he pulled away she looked both appeased and glossy again, but he wouldn't let things go in that direction a second time.

"See you tomorrow, shrimp."

The bookworm smiled through a small blush and nodded, watched Gajeel leave without further protest.

When his heavy footsteps died down she slid back onto the bed as a tsunami of feelings swarmed her.

She literally couldn't believe what just happened. All of it seemed like a dream, a perfect fantasy. Nothing ever went exactly the way she planned it but that…

Absently Levy touched her lips. They felt a little swollen, and still tasted of Gajeel.

And whatever happened to him…well, truth be told that was a little terrifying. But they could work through it. She just hoped to god that he wouldn't dwell too long on it. Anyone could be swept up by passion, and she wasn't exactly an innocent bystander in the situation. She'd purposefully egged him on.

Her face flushed completely when she remembered their little "dance," and she tried to convince herself it wasn't as _big _as she remembered.

"That would never fit…" She whispered, horrified by what she was thinking about—and in great detail.

While Levy worried herself over size issues and celebrated fairy tail endings she failed to notice a figure outside the hotel, with their eyes locked specifically on her.

**Chapter 4 up soon **


	4. To understand

(In between writing new chapters I like to go back and rewrite the old, it helps keep continuity and it just makes for a better story all over. So if something was bothering you about the previous chapters maybe go back and re-read. I might have changed it or maybe I didn't. Reviewers get cookies, constructive criticism gets cookies too.)

**You make it hard for me**

**4. To understand**

"Solid Script, Golem! Soul!"

"Iron Dragon's Roar!"

Rubble flew on the tailwind of Gajeel's attack but Levy was safe behind her dirt soldiers. She shot out from behind the barricade just long enough to throw another attack. "Freeze!"

The ground caked over with slippery ice, and as she turned to make more soldiers Levy heard a loud thud and heavy swearing: her attack worked!

She wiped sweat from her forehead, determined not to loose as she ordered all five creations to charge while Gajeel was down.

"That's not going to work shrimp!" Gajeel sharpened his iron hand to a sword and prepared to cut down the dusty opponents.

"Diamond!"

Gajeel's weapon collided with the hardest substance known to man, and for a brief second he growled and dug his feet into the ground, trying with futile effort to break the Golem's diamond surface. As the others ganged up on him Gajeel let out another Iron Roar, but it just blew them back.

"Iron Piston!" A barrage of attacks finally brought a crack to his opponent. He kept it up, but with in his focus on just one the other four got up to charge again. "I'll deal with ya later!" He hissed through a joyous grin as he knocked them aside. This was incredible! Whatever Levy did during her three months away must have been tough. He'd love to give it a go sometime.

Suddenly the Golems' movements became slow and sporadic, their diamond skin shattered. When Gajeel looked over at Levy she was on the ground clutching her chest.

"What happened?" He barked, sprinting towards her.

The woman looked up with a pained face "D-destroy them!"

Gajeel pivoted, "Dragon's Roar!" It might have been overkill, but the four remaining Golem were gone, and he didn't give them a second thought.

Levy let out a huge breath as though she'd been trapped underwater, collapsing into Gajeel's arms as limp as a noodle.

"Levy?" Please god, please let it not be something he did.

"I'm fine." She shook her head and tried to smile but coughed instead. "I ran out of magic…and the Golemes live off my magic…I guess when I run out they live off me."

Her tiny smile sent shivers down his spine, but when she explained it just enraged him.

"Why weren't you paying more attention?"

"I was. They just use so much…it swamped me all of a sudden."

They were both breathing hard, covered in dirt and sweat and exhausted, but when Gajeel's anger and worry subsided he found all he wanted to do was rip her drenched clothes off and fuck her hard.

Earlier that day when Levy volunteered to help him train for the remaining Magic Games he would never have guessed that she would deliver so well on that promise. The way she held her own in battle was the biggest turn on so far, even more than her smell. And in the isolation of their forest clearing it would be the perfect opportunity for privacy.

But Gajeel's guilt had a mind of its own, and kindly replayed the scene from two nights earlier, reminding him why it was important not to indulge in the small body lying in his arms. Instead, he focused on how stupid she had just been.

"You gotta know your limits…"

Levy knew better than to take these kinds of comments as anything but concern. I took her a little while to know the difference between Gajeel's worry and his criticism, but she understood now. So she sat up and burrowed her fingers in his black mane, smoothing down some of the messy spikes. "I'll try."

Then she kissed him gently, and when the Dragon responded there was a hot neediness underneath the initial sweet flavor. It drew them both in and wouldn't let go.

Somewhere to the right Gajeel remembered hearing a stream, and when they parted he asked in a hushed tone; "Wanna swim?"

"I don't have a swimsuit." She admitted through a laugh.

"Neither do I."

Before she could say anything else he captured her mouth, turning the protest to a mumbled moan.

Using his ears and heightened sense of smell Gajeel wandered blindly towards the source of water. When he found it Levy was already tugging at his pants—their shirts had been lost a few yards back—but he grabbed her hand before it invited any unwelcome company. When she shot him a puzzled look he just grinned wide and jumped strait into the watering hole below.

Levy was the first to come back up, gasping and shrieking.

"OH! FUCK! It's coooold!"

Gajeel surfaced to sound of Levy's colorful vocabulary, and it had him raising an eyebrow. He would have teased her about it but Levy looked at him so pitifully, shivering from the blue hair on her head to the tips of her toes, so he put it off.

She swam to him and curled her body around his, seeking warmth as she nuzzled into his neck.

Gajeel held her for a moment, treading water and wondering if she would ever adjust to the temperature. Since his body was basically a living furnace he felt just fine, and Levy basically vibrating against him, half naked, just added to the fire.

The swimming hole was roughly ten feet deep, fed by a river of winter run off.  
The side they'd jumped from was five feet high, but to the left was a nice easy creek bed to climb out on. Gajeel would have preferred a waterfall to help him train, but this would do for what he wanted now.

Levy was gradually getting better, but to speed up the process—and satiate a little piece of his hunger—he brushed his mouth over her neck, breathing hot air on her skin that subdued her goosebumps but had her shivering for completely different reasons. Levy soon forgot all about the cold.

With their bodies distracted neither mage realized the small paper spy camouflaged against the trees, and never would have guessed that their activities were being watched by a room of highly amused—and slightly disgusted—enemies.

Iwan mused over the juicy piece of black mail that had fallen into his lap while his guild members snickered in the background.

"What a slut." Flare chuckled in her haunting voice, only to flinch when Iwan shot her a frigid glare that silenced the whole room. Even when he turned around they all remained still.

Yet his smile was anything but kind as he watched the pair floating blissfully. "If Gajeel wanted a pet all he had to do was ask…."

**oOo**

It was already late in the evening when Levy and Gajeel made it back to the Tavern, both slightly damp but wonderfully exhausted from training.

Lucy glanced up with a coy smirk at the pair who she noticed had been spending a lot more time together in the last two days.

Gajeel left with just a quick glance in Levy's direction, but the imaginative writer guessed something unspoken passed between them then.

Levy took a seat next to Lucy at the bar, ordering a pint of hot buttered rum like her life depended on it.

"Good training session?" The blonde asked coyly.

"Mm. I tried out the new technique we talked about…It worked really well! I feel like I finally got close to Gajeel's level…" Though she smiled proudly Lucy could see real exhaustion behind Levy's eyes.

"It wasn't too much though?"

Levy didn't answer, instead taking a long, slow sip of her rum. If felt incredible, and the warmth spread through her like a good kiss. With her spirit on the mend Levy glanced shyly at her friend before diving into a new topic.

"Lucy…what do you think it means when a guy won't let you take off his pants?"

The blue haired mage turned to see a tomato red Lucy with her mouth hanging open. "P-Pants? I….what?"

Levy leaned in closer and tried to explain but Lucy was too flustered to pay attention. Improvising, the bookworm slapped down money for her drink, grabbed Lucy's hand, and pulled her along upstairs.

Although they'd silently agreed to keep the new development in their relationship on the down low Levy didn't think informing Lucy would hurt anything. Plus it gave her a chance to change into clothes that weren't damp.

She explained what happened two nights ago while switching outfits, and Lucy quickly recovered to respond with the usual fan fair of congratulatory noises.

"Things were going really well…but then suddenly it was all just moving too fast and Gajeel…well, I think he must have lost his senses a bit. I had to bite him to make him stop."

She could see Lucy's eyes flare and her mouth turn down for what were sure to be harsh words and quickly tried to fix the damage. "You should have seen his face Lu-chan! He looked…horrified."

Lucy put a hand over Levy's, squeezed it to emphasis her support. "I believe it. Gajeel would never hurt you on purpose. I'm sure."

Levy nodded, and her smile filled with cheer. "Yeah…"

"Now back to the part about the pants."

The seriousness in Lucy's voice made Levy laugh,

"Since that night, he's been really careful not to let it get to that point again…I don't know what to do because…" Levy's face was gradually turning pink, but she continued on. "...because it _is_ something I want…eventually." Though she'd been reading dirty novels since she was thirteen Levy had never really talked in detail about the subject with anyone. It was a bit of a struggle acclimating to it.

Lucy thought about it for a moment though truthfully she was just as clueless as Levy. "It's obvious he doesn't want to risk loosing control again. Maybe if you try harder he won't refuse. It seems like he'll do anything you say."

"R-Really?" The thought hadn't crossed Levy's mind, but now that she thought on it she realized that Gajeel _had_ given in to everything she'd asked or started.

"I guess I'll try harder…"

The pair sat in a slightly awkward silence on the bed while Levy worked her way to the next question. "So, um…Lu-chan…what would you do if your boyfriend's thing

was…" Choking on the last word Levy simply mimed a hand gesture, which made a vegetable out of Lucy again.

"I-…**We need Cana**."

Levy squeaked and hid her face as Lucy ran from the room with steam coming from her ears to fetch the only woman she knew of who boasted expertise in that area.

Getting Fairy Tail's number one functioning alcoholic away from the bar was like pulling teeth, but the more Lucy tried to explain the more flustered she became.

The commotion she made began to drawn attention to them, so Lucy decided to spell it out short and sweet. She leaned in Cana's ear and whispered as much as she could bear, and the slightly older woman's mood immediately changed. She smiled mischievously at Lucy, guzzled the rest of her drink and ordered three more.

"Three peach martinis to go!"

When the drinks came it was Cana pulling Lucy up the stairs, and the blonde found herself mentally begging for Levy's forgiveness. What had they gotten themselves into?

With the hotel door closed securely behind them, Cana leapt onto the bed, sporting a wicked smile and somehow managing not to spill the tray of pale orange drinks.

She handed Levy a glass, catching the younger woman's eye with a cattish grin.

"So…size troubles?"

As much as the butterflies in Levy's stomach were telling her to high tail it out of the room she knew she needed answers. There would be time to do more research at home, but it never hurt to have a real woman's perspective.

"Yes." She managed, taking a sip of her drink to help calm her nerves.

Cana held up two fingers. "Two things you need to know. Use lube, and fingers first." The two extended fingers came together, and she wiggled them in a lude gesture.

Lucy choked on her drink while Levy remained silent, but took it all in with astute concentration.

"And lots of patience. It could take a couple times to get it right."

As the advice continued Lucy and Levy started to relax, and it became a real conversation.

Half an hour later laughter poured from the hotel room as Levy read a scene from her latest novel.

"Oh, how about this? _'__**Here!**__' She exclaimed, and he drove into her then and there against the cold marble of the church walls." _"

Lucy burst into laughter at the absurdity of the writing, but Cana contemplated it seriously.

"Hm…Positions. Standing is hard for beginners, start with missionary. Then try Cow Girl. That's the best, but Doggy can be too." Cana scowled down at her empty drink, just now noticing the insufficient amount of alcohol in the room. "Everybody's different though."

"What about in the shower?" Lucy asked over the last drops of her own martini.

"Only if the height difference is right, or if he can lift you the whole time."

****"Or if you had a pervy shower." Levy added.

The trio's giggles caught Mirajane's ear as she passed by, and with curiosity getting the better of her she invited herself in. "Oh my—a private party?"

"Girl Talk Party!" Cana blurted before Lucy or Levy could stop her.

And much to their utter surprise, and slight horror, Mirajane squealed and bounced onto the bed next to Cana.

"Did you get to locations yet?"

"L-Locations?" The younger girls chanted together, their minds immediately wandering to the wrong place.

"Locations?" Lisanna echoed from the doorway.

"Sex Locations!"

"What about Sex Locations?" Everyone looked up with raised brows at Evergreen.

"….What?"

Before long Levy's hotel room had been transformed into a full on slumber party, and every fairy tail woman was invited. Empty booze bottles littered the floor along with the remnants of food and snacks they'd sent out for.

Levy, Lucy, Lisanna, and Erza huddled together against the headboard, feeling just a little awkward but enjoying the ambience non-the less.

Lucy snuck a glance at Erza, and found her with a surprisingly dreamy look in her eyes.

Erza returned her quick glance, then smiled warmly to explain. "It's nice, isn't it? We've never done anything like this before…And after the seven years…"

Lucy placed a hand over Erza's, and another over Levy's, beaming at her friends. "I'm so glad it wasn't us who had to wait all those years..."

"If Juvia had to go seven years without Gray….I don't know how I could bear it." The water woman blurted, biting the end of Levy's pillow with tears in her eyes.

Similar sentiments were murmured from every corner of the room except from Biska, Laki, and Kinana. The three who lived it. **  
**

It wasn't right to say the mood had been ruined, but it took new shape and purpose as tears started to flow and each woman thought of the man or family they couldn't bare to live without.

Lucy wasn't at all surprised that Natsu was the first that came to mind. True, he drove her insane half the time but he always came through for her in the end. Was always there to protect her, save her, or encourage. If there were anyone in the world she would be willing to do something as embarrassing as sex with it would probably be him.

The realization of that floored her.

With freshly damp eyes Levy noticed Lucy had become very red again. "Lucy?"

"YES?"

As the wheels in her quick mind turned Levy mimicked Cana and gave Lucy a teasing glare. "What did you just think of?"

"N-n-n-n-nothing!"

To avoid any more questions the blonde took a long swig of her beer.

And like a miracle the sound of tiny fists pounding on the door drew the growing attention away from Lucy.

"Can I come in now?" Wendy begged, well aware that she was the only Fairy Tail female _not_ at the party.

The girls exchanged glances, some sympathetic and others not, but they all came to silent agreement and shouted simultaneously "**When you're older!" **

Later, when the party disbanded and everyone returned to their own rooms Lucy stood like a ghost in the hallway. What she really wanted was a nice long walk, but it was past curfew.

Erza had already gone ahead to their Team room, but Lucy just couldn't resign herself to sleep yet. She headed down the stairs instead.

The Tavern looked just as it would after an average day at Fairy Hall—completely turned upside down. Thinking she was alone Lucy climbed over the bar to help herself to a glass of water. So when the sound of explosive snoring broke the silence it nearly scared her right out of her own skin.

When she looked harder through the darkness she caught something blue and pink sleeping on the floor next to an almost naked Gray. Careful inspection revealed almost every other Fairy Tail mage knocked out as well. 'Looks like the men had their own party.'

Maybe there was too much booze in her system, maybe their hypothetical seven year separation was still weighing on her heart, or maybe she just damn well felt like it, but something possessed Lucy to try and wake Natsu.

Crouched near his head she shook him lightly at the shoulders. A full minute went by before she realized it would take a lot more to wake the Fire Dragon. Exhausted, Lucy let out a sigh from a puff in her cheek and gave up on the effort.

"Fine. You win." Although she said it Lucy stayed another few minutes longer, just watching her partner. Whatever the men had done did a big number on him, she thought, because he didn't have his usual, peaceful sleepy expression. He just looked…still.

She really had drunk too much; even as the thought entered her mind tears welled in Lucy's eyes.

"Stupid!" She hissed to herself, hastily wipping her eyes and gathering her balance to stand.

But a droplet of the salty water got away from her, fell on Natu's nose, and before she could steady her jelly legs Lucy found herself inches away from a still very groggy but concerned Natsu.

"Lus?"

Lucy hoped if she didn't move or make a sound he might just go back to sleep, and please, for the love of god get back a bit!

She could smell the beer on his breath and knew he wasn't in much better condition than she was. Though, at least he wasn't balling at spilled milk.

Despite Lucy's hopes Natsu continued to scrutinize her with eyebrows furrowed, probably trying to figure out if she was a dream. Frustrated with his lack of deductive skills Natsu simply reached out a hand and touched the wetness of her cheek.

"Whatcha cryin' 'bout?" He slurred, gaze intense.

Lucy shook her head, prayed Natsu wouldn't notice the temperature rising to her face. "It's nothing."

Eager to change the subject and situation she grabbed his wrist and rose to her feet. "Common, it's late."

Natsu obliged, but kept a suspicious eye on his friend. Together the pair struggled back to their room, unable to walk a strait line.

When hey came to their room they snuck in as quietly as possible, with Lucy constantly watching Natsu to make sure he didn't do anything sporadic, weird, or loud. When he coast seemed clear Lucy grabbed her pajamas and made a beeline for the bathroom. Her heart was still in her ears thinking about how Natsu had been so close, so attentive, if just for a moment. Not that he hadn't stuck his nose in her face before, but there was something different about what just transpired, something she couldn't quite get her drunk butt to focus on long enough to describe.

When Lucy plopped onto bed it was almost 4am, and they had to be up in four hours, but there was one more obstacle to sleep.

"NATSU!" She hissed in surprise and horror at the spiky, pink head of hair snoozing on the other side of her bed.

Happy was curled at his feet, and when Natsu rolled over to smile at her like a mischievous child she knew there wasn't any budging him. With a sigh Lucy resigned to dragging herself up and switching beds, but strong fingers gripping her hand stopped her.

Natsu was looking at her again with the strange seriousness that seemed to come and go as it pleased. "Don't be alone when you're sad."

Lucy just stared at him for a moment before a smile crept over her and she couldn't bring herself to leave.

Natsu pulled her back to the bed, unrelenting his grip oh her hand as he pulled her to his side. Because they were "drunk," and it was very late Lucy allowed it, settling under the covers with her head on Natu's shoulder and her hand on his chest. The heart beat she felt there was light, fluttering like a summer's breeze, but strong.

The Lunar Mage knew they would probably get flack the next day for their compromising position, but at the moment she was too tired to care. Her heavy eyes closed to the handsome sight of her partner's profile, she had a warm body beside her, and there was nothing to complain about.

As Natsu and Lucy drifted off another member of their guild was just waking.

Gajeel's stomach woke him at the usual time, and he grumbled getting out of bed to find some iron.

Pantherlily would sleep until strong sunbeams came in through the window to rouse him, and the rest of his Team had another few precious hours left, so the lumbering Dragon did his best to be quiet. He didn't think of it as an inconvenience, rather an opportunity to practice his stealth.

Taking a handful of scrap metal Gajeel headed to the roof to enjoy his breakfast without the restrictions of minding his manners.

By now the curfew had been lifted, though he doubted anyone else would be out so early. After breakfast Gajeel headed back to the clearing where he and Levy spared the day before. The trees were no match for him, not like Levy's Golem soldiers, and he began to regret not rousing her to go with him.

When the sun finally showed its face Gajeel had worked up a fine sweat and was contemplating a dip in the snow water pond.

Then, a sickeningly familiar scent crossed his nose and Gajeel immediately lashed out with a thick iron fist in the intruder's direction, growling deep in his throat at the slimy Raven Tail mage.

Kurohebi didn't even flinch at Gajeel's warning shot, but there was something slightly deranged in the way he stared down the barrel of the gun.

"Master Iwan sent me to make sure you're still on our side. I can't be responsible for what'll happen if you're not." The man's head felt to the side at an angle that shouldn't be possible, and he sported an emotion akin to anticipation, even glee, in his black eyes that raised the hairs on the back of Gajeel's neck.

Although the Dragon's hands were itching to rip that grin right off the Kurohebi's face Gajeel knew that resuming his life as a double agent would help protect Levy and the guild. If he had some idea what Raven Tail was planning it would be a great advantage.

Though it pained him, he retracted his weaponized fist. "Is it safe to contact me here?"

.

"Nobody knows of this place but us…and the little blue fairy brat."

At the mention of Levy Gajeel lunged. "Touch her and I'll make sure you never touch anything again!"

The venom in his voice didn't do its job, if anything it just brought a broader smile to Kurohebi's wide mouth.

"The more precious that girl is to you the more pleasure I'll take in destroying her."

"Maybe I'll kill you right here!" Gajeel bared his teeth. Even though he was suppose to be cooperating…his feelings would ruin everything…but he couldn't help it.

Kurohebi hissed: "Master _did _say you could keep her. If you help us pull off the Games you'll have more than earned it."

The heat in the air dispelled slowly as Gajeel forced himself to a state of calm, releasing the snake to land perfectly on his feet.

"What does he want?"

The dark man straitened himself, then looked right into Gajeel's eyes and grinned. "Bring us Markov."

**Chapter 5 coming soon. **


	5. To relax

**You make it hard for me **

**5. To Relax **

Gajeel returned to the chaos of Fairy Tail trying to put their heads on at 8am. Many were nursing hangovers, and nobody looked quite completely awake.

Markov was barking orders from atop a table—though he didn't look much better himself—but Gajeel didn't' dare head strait to him.

Bypassed all the nonsense, he took a seat by Warren at the bar.

The psychic mage glanced briefly at Gajeel, not sure how he felt about someone interrupting his breakfast. There were a dozen other seats at the bar, why did he have to sit right there? When the Iron dragon grunted and returned his glance Warren opened the psychic channel.

_"What?"_

"Tell Levy and Freed they need to put illusion Runes around the hotel. Sound replacement too." 

"_**What**__?" _He repeated, not quite all there yet and still more than a little groggy.

Gajeel just growled, and that was reason enough for Warren. He relayed the message, and both linguists dropped what they were doing to collaborate.

"_I'll let you know when they're done." _With that Warren broke the channel and went back to his toast.

Gajeel ordered a cup of black coffee and settled into the task of waiting impatiently.

It was right about that time when Lucy came stomping down the stairs with Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gray, and Wendy tumbling after her, all shouting over one another so their voices became an incoherent mess. Though every voice seemed to have a melody of jest.

Lucy, doing her best to ignore the entourage plopped down at the bar next to Gajeel and roughly ordered a stack of pancakes.

"Heavy on the syrup." She added, throwing a spiteful glance at the four who took seats beside her.

At least she had a moment of peace while they ordered their own meals, but Wendy finished first and so the pre-teen turned big, pleading, prying eyes on the blonde.

"So whose idea was it?"

"It was nobody's _idea _it just _happened_!" Lucy hissed under her breath.

"Yeah but who made the first move?"

"There was no first move, it wasn't a **move **it wasn't anything!"

"Given Natsu's history I'd estimate it was his."

Lucy almost snapped at Erza too before remembering how scary the scarlet beauty could be when provoked. Instead she cleared her throat and continued in a rushed hush:

"As long as we're bringing up history lets remember that the man in question has absolutely no idea what we're talking about!"

Four pairs of eyes turned to Natsu and Happy who both sat in completely oblivion, more focused on waiting for their breakfast than anything else.

Their conversation was just beginning to spark Gajeel's curiosity when he felt a mental tap on his skull.

"_The runes are done." _Freed reported as he and Levy came down the stairs.

_"Nobody outside can see what we're doing?"_

"No." Levy confirmed. _"They'll see us doing basically the same thing, but not quite. Like an alternate universe." _

"Good." Gajeel drank the rest of his coffee and went to Markov, leaving three confused mages behind without any answers to the growing number of questions.

"A thanks would have been pleasant." Freed grumbled.

oOo

When Gajeel finished explaining Markov remained silent, his large eyebrows scrunched from inner debate.

"We'll discuss this when the Games are over. I'm glad you took the initiative to get back on their good side. It never hurts to have eyes and ears on the inside."

Gajeel nodded, but knowing that Markov was aware of his son's plans didn't ease the tension in his chest at all. The pair walked back out to the main hall where Mirajane had taken over hurrying people through their meals and getting dressed.

Markov's voice boomed over everything. "Alright! Everybody, get going! We've got games to win!"

A loud cheer erupted, making some wince, but all began pouring out the door. Gajeel tried to make a quiet escape but barely got three steps out the door before he felt small hands tugging at his shirt.

Levy managed to look concerned and furious all at once, but as she opened her mouth to begin the questions he silenced them by pushing her back into one of the hotel's dark corners.

"It's not safe. I'll tell ya later."

Because her eyes were huge with worry and everyone else had already cleared out Gajeel bent to kiss her, hard and possessive like he'd wanted to do since he first got back.

Levy tried not to get lost in the contact, but the simmer in his touch was beginning to subdue her purpose. She felt the questions slipping away as his hands slithered around her waist, pulling her against his chest.

When he let her go she had to steady herself on the ground again, neither really noticed he'd lifted her into his arms.

She tried one last time to make Gajeel fess up to the morning's weirdness, but even her best pouting combo wasn't enough to tempt him.

"Sorry." He offered, knowing that there wasn't nearly enough time to tell her everything he needed to before he would be officially declared absent from the Grand Magic Games.

At first her disappointment had him second guessing, but she shook it off and offered him a smile and one last taste of her lips instead.

They traveled to the arena side by side, quickly catching up to the others with Gajeel's long strides and Levy's jogging.

No more words passed between the couple, leaving room for Gajeel to begin wishing for one of three scenarios:

One: the day would just be fucking over already.

Two: he'd be chosen to fight again

Three: all hell breaks loose and the entire stadium starts brawling.

Much to his dismay none of these dreams manifested. The tournament even went an extra four hours because some lucky stiffs who were almost perfectly matched got to have an intense stalemate battle.

When it was finally over and everyone started heading home Gajeel felt a chill down his spine. When he turned to find the source a piece of long, blood red hair wrapped around his wrist. It pulled him forward, and the Iron Dragon obliged the hair to a secluded corner where the creeper queen Flare was waiting.

She didn't say a word, just looked at him with her wide eyes and twisted mouth. "Take off your glove."

Gajeel wasn't sure what she meant, but he slipped of his black gloves. The hair on his wrist suddenly engulfed his whole arm, and a searing pain shot from his palm.

He didn't give her the satisfaction of yowling, just gritted his teeth and bit back an urge to lunge at her.

"There, all done." She chuckled, retracting her hair like snakes' coils for Gajeel to see the encrypted magic burned onto his skin.

To Gajeel it just looked raw flesh and absolute gibberish.

"The fuck is this?"

"Stare at it while thinking of revenge, and the information you need will come. But you can't tell a soul…or that hand will explode." If at all possible her eyes widened further to emphasize the last word. "Night deary."

Before Gajeel could ask more she had already blended back into the crowd, and he couldn't be scene with her there.

What did she mean his hand would explode?

oOo

Gajeel caught up with the Fairy Brigade outside the arena, allowed himself to be swept up in the high spirits and celebration but kept quiet until they were all inside the hotel.

He knew Levy would want her answers, but it would have to wait…again.

The Iron Dragon grabbed Jellal by the back of his ninja scarf and pulled his teammate up to their room—as far away from the party as they could get.

Before Jellal got through his stuttering protests Gajeel shoved his hand at the man, and the mage became silent, observant, serious.

"…This is pretty advanced. It's linked to your thoughts, and I'm guessing you can't talk about it from the look of this energy trigger."

"Can you take it off?"

The blue haired man examined the spell a moment longer, taking careful note of every aspect he could dissect before finally nodding a slow yes.

"Good. Now clear out."

Gajeel sat in the middle of the room, preparing himself for the information he was about to receive. Jellal lingered just a moment, contemplating more questions or protests, but settled for complying.

Needing to take himself to a place of hatred and revenge, Gajeel imagined the castle of Phantom Lord. He saw Jose seated in his overly gothic chair, felt the chill of his presence as real as anything.

He heard the man give an order, watched the absolute joy in his face when he said it: "Go hunt down some Fairies."

Gajeel smirked, already tasting the blood as his magic shaped his hands into deadly weapons, then stabbed his former master through the shoulder. He reveled in the gore as he slashed again and again at the monster that enabled his own demons. Each blow was liberating, every agonizing scream a triumph.

It was a scene he'd dreamt of many times, and the best part was yet to come.

Then with a flash of white someone else took over. He saw a forest clearing, the one he trained in earlier that day. He saw Markov, they were walking together, but they didn't stop at the clearing. They kept going, past an orchard to a second clearing. He heard himself speak the words "Why is a Raven like a Writing Desk?" and a huge gothic structure appeared.

As he soaked it all in the image began to distort, then Gajeel woke as another white hot flash engulfed him. Before it disappeared he heard a raspy voice: _Two days. _

The sensations of reality hit him hard, and his lungs were screaming for air like he'd experienced the entire scene from under water. Gajeel gasped, coughed, and almost choked as he tried to catch up. He should have expected as much from someone in Raven Tail. Anything to inflict pain.

The strangled sounds had Jellal back in the room, and the man quickly got to work dissolving what Flare had created.

"It's burned into your skin, so removing it will be painful, probably slow."

Gajeel just offered his hand, eager to share the new information with Markov.

oOo

Hours later his hand was still throbbing, and his head was starting on a path of the same.

Although they now had proof that could send Raven Tail packing Gajeel didn't feel the least bit celebratory. It wasn't until Markov started discussing strategies for how Fairy Tail could ensure Iwan's arrest that Gajeel connected the dots to realize this would mean telling the rest of the guild. Thus leading to questions of how they got the information, and that would turn right back on him.

Sooner or later everyone would know the truth, and that was a sinking pit of lead in his stomach.

It was never his intention for the rest of Fairy Tail, and especially Levy, to know about his double-agent mission at Raven Tail, but now, as he approached her door at one in the morning, he saw no alternative.

She would either find out at the Guild meeting the next day, or she could find out now.

Now seemed the better option.

The knock on her door almost startled Levy right out of bed, where she sat curled up with a bag of chocolate covered raisins and the dirty book Erza lent her.

She hoped for one brief moment maybe it was just some drunk who couldn't walk strait, but seconds later a second knock confirmed the opposite.

Hastily hiding the treats under the bed, Levy jumped up, fixed her pajamas and went to see who wanted what at god only knew which hour.

"Gajeel…"

The lumbering man didn't wait for an invitation, he entered and crossed the room to stand ridged, almost nervous, in the center.

"Is it later?" Levy asked with a dash of tease and a sprinkle of resentment as she shut the door and turned to her man of few words.

The Dragon nodded.

There was no pleasant way to spell things out, so he started from the beginning.

"When Markov invited me to join Fairy Tail the catch was that I would be a double agent for him at Raven Tail. This morning his sleazebag son sent a messenger to make sure I was still one of them."

Gajeel could see her eyes widen with shock, cloud slightly as she tried to piece it all together. So he showed her his hand, now raw and red but bomb free.

"At the Game the red hair bitch gave me…new orders. Now we know exactly what they want, when, and where…" He fought to hold her eyes, knowing that these last words were what would really matter, what she really needed to hear.

"The whole guild will know tomorrow. You deserved to know first."

Levy couldn't bring herself to feel angry that he'd kept this enormous part of his life a secret. That was the whole point of being a spy. Nobody was supposed to know.

She couldn't even fault him for not telling her about what happened that morning.

She was, however, absolutely furious that he would be so willing to hurt so badly just to get information. Taking his right arm to inspect the damage didn't help.

"You couldn't have just ASKED Flare to tell you in person?"

"They're testing my loyalties."

"You don't have any loyalties to them!" Levy felt hot tears well in her eyes and tried to dry them with her furry, but it was a loosing battle.

Gajeel stood dumbstruck as the tiny woman shook with anger and tears, clearly hating herself for both.

She hastily wiped at her eyes as she pivoted, started to drag the man to the bathroom. "Gotta put something on that burn…"

The Dragon didn't object, allowed himself to be lead, ordered to sit, and waited patiently through the pampering. He knew better than to make any comments about her flipflopping emotions.

The angry little dabbles of burn ointment eventually gentled as the weight of the day started to pull Levy down. She'd just wrapped his hands in bandages when the swarm of emotion and what ifs ambushed her and a new variety of tears started to flow.

Exhaustion.

'I'm exhausted.' She told herself, but that didn't help her bruised dignity or the growing need to bolt. Levy tried to stand but Gajeel stopped her.

Cupped her wet cheeks in his left hand as gently as a whisper, wiping one dry with his thumb he forced the girl to look at him.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, knowing she was being ridiculous, selfish, and probably annoying.

Then their lips met, and everything started to heal. The touch, the sweet need was there, lapping at the rocky shores of raw emotion. For once his hands didn't hurry over her body but lingered, taking their time, drawing her closer with each caresses.

Levy in turn wrapped her arms around his neck, ghosting her fingers through his hair as the distance between them slipped away.

For the first time since their flirtation with happiness began both parties felt release, relaxed. There was no holding back, no emotions shunned or neglected.

When she'd drunk her fill of careful warmth Levy climbed into his lap, adding heat to gentle fire as she nipped at his bottom lip.

Gajeel leaned back onto the bed, coaxing her with him as his hands slipped up the back of her thighs to pull at handfuls of firm cheeks. The sting of pressure on raw flesh was absolutely worth it, and as they spun towards delusion the pain blurred to nothing.

Small hands slipped under Gajeel's shirt, reveling in the feel of sculpted muscles before she pushed the cloth away to explore the taste.

Rough hand skimmed soft flesh, sharp teeth flirted against delicate lips, and despite the danger a dull throbbing slowly built to the brink for them both.

Levy remembered what her girlfriends had encouraged. She curled her fingers around the hand in her hair, pulling it down under the rim of her orange cotton shirt so her bare breasts weren't more than an inch from his fingertips.

Gajeel paused, closed his eyes to gather strength, as he was about to try and refuse what occupied almost 80% of this thoughts and dreams.

"Don't." She cut in. "I trust you." Levy untangled her fingers, focused them instead on her partner's body, massaging tense muscles in passing till her fingers could pull at his angular face.

Levy's kiss wasn't ruthless, not by intention, but the tenderness struck a strong blow against Gajeel's will. Giving in to his body and invitation the man continued up the path his partner had chosen.

He cupped the small cleavage, and the contrast of his calloused hand on sensitive skin had her gasp.

The sensation wasn't anything like she'd ever felt before. She'd touched herself, but to indulge someone else was another experience entirely. The uncertainty of what he would do, the electricity between flesh, the rough eagerness, anticipation, and happiness she could feel in her partner were all contributing factors to the exotic result.

Gajeel slipped his other hand under Levy's shirt, and the combination allowed for twice the sensation, twice the exploration, yet nobody's needs were satisfied.

The earliest stages of pleasure were like drinking water from hell: The more you had the more you needed, never satiated, until salvation.

Levy arched against his hands, eyes closed to enjoy it in full. One hand wandered to the taunt abs, and as his fingers carried the familiar territory with fresh thrill. Like it was in their very skin.

Their lips met again and there was no reason there, just need. Clothes started to fall among the sheets as bodies drove the pace.

Gajeel's hands continued to seek, and as one slipped underneath her panties neither harbored any will towards stopping.

He found her hot and wet, and ran a single flinger along the slit that could drive him mad with just the smell of her.

To his absolute delight she dipped, allowing better access, and Gajeel took.

First teasing the nob that gained him a pure rippling purr, then slipped a finger into the insane heat.

At first Levy tensed, and he felt it all the way up to her abdomen as the pressure inside her sliced through the lusty haze.

For a moment neither moved, then Levy began to blush as she realized the full force of what they'd begun.

Part of him was _inside her_, and even his finger felt like too much.

"Gajeel…" She tried so hard to say his name with a steady voice, but it still came out strained.

He took one last moment to soak in the look of her: hair tousled, lips parted and red, a thin sheen of sweat glowing on her skin, then retreated.

This had to stop.

The pressure left as painfully as it came, but Levy hurt more in her heart as the man she loved shrank away and started to get up.

"Wait! It surprised me, that's all!" She pleaded.

He shot her a look of complete disbelief. He knew discomfort when he saw it.

"You're too small."

Levy's face heated, but this was no time to be childish. Just like he'd been completely honest with her about his job Levy realized Gajeel had no idea what it was like to be a virgin—not a girl virgin anyway—and deserved to know the truth.

"That's just part of it ok? It'll get better…we just have to do it more often." She meant the last part to sound seductive, and though she was new to the art it certainly didn't kill the boner Gajeel was trying to get rid of.

She slipped into his lap like a cat, made him look at her. "Picture somebody sticking a finger up your nose. It's kinda like that, but easier."

Ok. Boner gone.

"Let's just try again." Her voice was a cool whisper, and very persuasive.

Gajeel ran an uncertain hand through Levy's hair, contemplating the hours—or was it minutes?—they'd just spent exploring each other. He hadn't lost control, and every step of the way she urged him for more.

"Fine." He kissed her to seal the deal, preparing for goodbye, but Levy had other plans.

Throwing her whole body into it the small woman pulled her partner down against the bed, threw the blankets over them, then snuggled into his arms.

Levy looked up at Gajeel with big, playful eyes that sparkled with mischief and something like pride, and somehow he couldn't say no. As she slipped into dreams he focused nervous energy on her instead of his own awkwardness. The way her head felt against his chest, the fact that he could feel her breath skating across bare flesh. The small arms circled around his neck, the delicate hands that moved in comforting swirls till they fell still with slumber. These were things he imaged he would remember for the rest of his life. Whatever happened between them, the details of tonight were something he would never forget.

He would have paid more attention to the naked breasts pressed against his side but then he'd never sleep.

Forcing himself to relax, Gajeel went back to the scenario from earlier, the happy fantasy. After killing Jose he would go to Fiore as planned. There, waiting in the dark of the courtyard, and he would watch Levy, Jet, and Droy walk beneath the bridge, talking and laughing like good friends would. Levy's eyes sparkled, innocent and full of joy, and he would sit very still, watching them until they were just dots on the horizon.

**Chapter 6 will be up soon! **

**Don't forget, I'm looking for ideas for Juvia/Gray scenarios. If you've got a favorite fanart you'd love to see come to life or just a general thought tell me about it in the reviews or PM. I'll pick the best ones and write them in. **


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